


Slither Into Your Heart

by Jungle321jungle



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Anxceit - Freeform, Gorgon Deceit Sanders, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22988014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jungle321jungle/pseuds/Jungle321jungle
Summary: Deceit didn’t bother to knock as he slammed the door open and glared down to where Remus sat on his bed polishing his morning star.“What did you do?” Deceit hissed.Remus gave him a large smile as he looked him up or down, “Do you have the snakes just up there or are they down below too?”If asked by Patton later, Deceit most definitely did not try to strangle the other side in that moment. Not all.~~~~Also known as:Deceit is turned into a Gorgon.  And the new annoying little snakes on his head seem to have an annoying obsession with Virgil.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit Sanders
Comments: 102
Kudos: 753
Collections: Awesome Sanders Sides Fic





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Title by watchoutforthefanfics on tumblr

**Part One**

Deceit hadn’t realized he was screaming at his own reflection until Roman had barged in the bathroom katana in hand. He turned to face the other side quickly and nearly received a slash to the face in response.

“Don't cut me you dumbass!” He shouted, but Roman’s eyes were transfixed to Deceit's hair, and quite frankly Deceit couldn’t blame him. He turned back to look into the mirror at the snakes which were slithering around where his hair should be in disbelief.

“What the actual...” Roman trailed off, but it was enough for Deceit to be brought back fully to his senses. He shoved away the taller aside and stormed toward Remus’ room his hands curling into fists as he did. He didn’t bother to knock as he slammed the door open and glared down to where Remus sat on his bed polishing his morning star. 

“What did you do?” Deceit hissed. 

Remus gave him a large smile as he looked him up or down, “Do you have the snakes just up there or are they down below too?”

If asked by Patton later, Deceit most definitely did not try to strangle the other side in that moment. Not all.

  
  


“So yeah, I made a connection between Deceit and Medusa. I thought it would be fun, and it is,” Remus smiled at everyone else around the table.

“Well undo it then!” Deceit yelled at him.

“Deceit,” Logan cut in patiently. “You know just as well as the rest of us, we can’t just undo absolutely everything Remus does. If a connection in Thomas now exists between you and Medusa it  _ will _ stay.” 

“So I just have to live with snakes for hair?”

“They’re kind of cute at least,” Patton commented reaching for one but upon it hissing at him he retracted his hand. “They might be mean, but they’re still cute.”

“I just think it's unfair that you never let me do your hair, but my brother is allowed to make you a blonde,” Roman commented into his tea. Deceit only gave him a glare in return. 

“Are they poisonous?” Virgil questioned. “Like will they attack us? Also what do they eat?”

“They look to be a harmless garden snakes,” Logan assured him. “And if your line of thinking is that they will eat us, I don't think their jaws unhinge that wide.”

“So what you’re saying is that you don’t know for sure?”

“I don’t, but the probability is very low. And quite frankly I am more curious about how the two vastly different metabolisms interact. Which I suppose delves into how separate they are from Dee. Are they single minded, a hive mind? Deceit can you control them at all?”

“Are you  _ sure _ you can’t turn people to stone?” Roman asked yet again.

Dee forced himself not to let his temper go astray as he gave Roman a smile, “I promise you that if I gain the ability, you’ll be the  _ firssst _ person I show.”

Roman gave an excited smile in return. “Thank you! That’s all I- Wait...”

As the conversation continued around him, Deceit could only give a groan.

~~~~

As time passed Deceit found himself growing quite used to his new snake hair friends. Even fond of them.

They certainly had their uses. 

_ Ceiling. Remusssss. Squirt. Remus. Remusssss. Sssquirt gun.  _

The words which pierced his mind over and over caused Deceit to sigh, but he didn’t look away from what he was cooking. “Remus, put down the squirt gun. If you dare shoot me with it...” he let the threat hang and after a moment he heard a loud bang followed by a shout.

“Screw those snakes!”

Deceit turned enough to see Remus lying on the ground a large squirt gun in hand before he smiled, “Thanks for the eyes in the back of my head. I’m a big fan.”

  
  


But even so there were times the snakes did annoy him. Because the snakes were tapped into his mind. For better or for worse.

And Dee had realized that the hard way. 

“Henrietta don’t you dare talk to me that way. You are on  _ my _ head.”

_ Hate you. Virgil. Virgil. Leaving. Hate. Backing up. _

“Virgil come here!” Deceit called glancing over her shoulder at where the other side had been attempting to back out of the room. 

He slowly shuffled forward, but stopped a few paces away. “What?”

“Henrietta got some soap in her eye when I showered, but she keeps snapping at me everytime I try to touch her.” He held out a washcloth. “Just rub this lightly over her eye and it will be fine.”

Virgil cringed in response, “Do I have to?”

“Yes. She keeps bitching and it's pissing me off.”

_ Use new ssssoap. _

“Just close your eyes when I shower!” Deceit yelled at her before he focused back on Virgil. “Well?”

Virgil slowly took the damp cloth and moved closer, “Will they...?”

“Long as you help, no.”

“Which one is Henrietta? D- do they all have names?”

“The rest of you move,” Deceit ordered and he felt as they did so. “I gave them names. It makes things easier.”

“I guess. Well... um, Henrietta?” Virgil started. “I’m going to help, don’t do anything.”

_ He nicer. _

“I will carve you out of my head,” Deceit responded. There was a short pause before he felt as Virgil lightly began to rub the cloth on his head. 

“Better?”

_ Yes. Helpful. More than you. _

“I will end you,” Deceit responded as he felt more of the snakes move around.

_ Virgil. Thank. _

__

“Dee they are  _ touching me _ ,” Virgil stated worriedly. “What do I do?”

Deceit gave a shrug, “They’re just nuzzling you as a thank you. This was all Henrietta’s fault so you shouldn’t have needed to get involved, but they are thanking you anyway.”

Virgil gave a squeak in response, but he didn’t move away either just letting it happen.

_ Like. Good. Virgil. Keep Virgil.  _

Deceit gave an awkward cough as he moved away, “Well thank you Virgil. You are free to get back to your life. I need to have a serious conversation with them.”

Virgil blinked in confusion, “Uh... okay?”


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

“Now you all listen to me,” Deceit said slowly as he stared at his snakes in the mirror. “Keep quiet about things that aren’t important,  _ got it? _ ”

_ Yes. No. Yesss. Yesss. What is? What not? _

Deceit gave a groan as he lowered his head, “This is pointless isn't it?”

“Something wrong, Deceit?” 

_ Logan. Logan. Glasses. Like.  _

“You don’t need glasses,” Deceit responded, turning around. “I’m fine. They just aren’t very good at listening to what I say.”

Logan stood in the bedroom doorway for a moment as he paused. “Well they are you in some manner.”

“Then they should be  _ obedient _ .” 

“They’re your own sides,” Logan tried. “Despite all of us being apart of Thomas, we each have our own minds and personalities. I believe your snakes are the same.”

Deceit gave a groan, “Why are you right?”

“I  _ am _ Logic.”

“...Get out of my room.”

~~~~

_ Remus. Weird. Remus. Remus. Yay. Yesss. Yum. Remus. Present. Thank Remus. Remus Rat. Rat. Rat.  _

Deceit opened his eyes and rubbed them as he woke to the snakes coos. By the time he was fully awake he noticed Remus leaning over his bed a rat in dangling from his fingers. And before Deceit could say or do anything the small creature was falling toward his head.

  
  


“Is one of the snakes hurt?”

“One’s hurt?” Patton asked worriedly standing up from the table to look at Deceit’s head. 

_ Hurt? No. Feelings only. Mari. Mean.  _

Deceit turned slightly to see Virgil enter the kitchen, “What?”

Virgil’s eyes were trained on Deceit’s head as he pointed, “One looks like it has a big bulge to it, like it got smooshed and swollen or something... Can snakes get swollen?” 

Deceit gave a sigh, “I don’t know. But uh, I was trying to sleep when Remus came into my room and fed Mari a rat.”

_ No share. Mari. Mean. Rude. Want rat.  _

“The others aren’t happy about it either,” he added after a moment. 

“It ate a rat?” Patton asked horrified. 

“Unfortunately.”

“So in other words  _ you _ ate a rat,” Virgil clarified sitting down. 

“Shut up.”

_ No. Mean. Virgil nice. Rat. Virgil give rat? _

“Virgil doesn’t have any rats,” Deceit sighed. 

“Remus shouldn’t have any either,” Patton commented sitting down. 

_ Give rat. Virgil. Yessss. Be nice. Then Virgil give rat.  _

“I don’t want him to give me rats,” Deceit responded. “...You all know that your opinion doesn’t matter right?”

“Don’t be mean to the little noodles,” Patton chided. 

“They're annoying.”

_ You mean. Patton nice. All nice but you. And Roman. No like. Roman sword. No like. Like Virgil. Yes. Virgil good.  _

Deceit ignored the last statement, “I’m not going to let Roman cut you guys off.”

“What are they saying?” Virgil asked. 

“That they don’t like me. Or Roman because Roman claims he’ll ‘slay Medusa’ before I can turn him to stone.”

Virgil gave a pause, “Can you turn Remus to stone?”

“Trust me, I’ve  _ tried _ .”

~~~~

“Deceit what are you doing?”

_ No. Roman. Bad Roman.  _

Deceit didn’t move from where he had laid on the floor to look under the fridge. “My good pen went somewhere,” he answered standing and brushing himself off. “I swear it was on the table but I went to grab something from my room and it was gone.”

_ Pen. Pen. No Roman.  _

“I know you guys don’t like Roman, but that’s not helpful.”

Roman reeled back as if he had been struck, “How could they not like  _ me _ ?”

_ Sword. Roman. Pen.  _

“They think you’re going to attack with your sword.”

“Why would I attack them?”

_ Mean. Pen. Roman mean. Remus like. _

“You only like Remus because he gave you a rat,” Deceit replied. 

“They like  _ Remus  _ over  _ me _ ?” Roman shouted. 

“Yes.”

The other side paused before a determined light shined in his eyes, “I’m going to right this. I promise you- all of you.”

“Whatever. Have you seen my pen?”

“One’s holding it,” Roman answered absent mindedly. “Now how do I get on a snakes good side...”

“Holding it?” Deciet asked confused. 

After a short pause Sahara slithered down closer to be in his view, his pen in her mouth. 

_ Pen. Forgot. Sahara grab.  _ The others filled in. 

Deceit couldn’t stop a small smile as he took the object, “Thanks girl.”

~~~~

“I have gathered you here today for an important reason.”

Deceit watched as Logan raised an eyebrow, “Dinner?”

“Well yes,” Roman nodded. “But we also need to discuss why the hell Remus is the snakes’ favorite.”

Deceit gave a groan, “Believe it or not, no one  _ has  _ to like you, Roman.”

“I don’t,” Virgil tossed in. 

“Virgil,” Patton chided. “We are nice at the table.”

“That’s hard.”

“While that  _ is _ your loss,” Roman continued. “The larger issue here is that it is  _ Remus _ .”

“He gave them a rat,” Deceit replied tiredly. 

_ No. One rat. Not all. Want. Rat. Unfair. Mari mean. No share.  _

“Can’t we talk about normal dinner things?” Logan suggested. “Or not talk at all?”

“I like being the favorite,” Remus smiles proudly. “Now I know, I have a mini snake army at my command.”

“Remus isn’t even their favorite,” Deceit put in hoping to the end the conversation. “Virgil is. He’s second.”

“Why is that  _ worse _ ?” Was Roman’s reply. 

“Why am I the favorite?” Virgil asked in surprise. 

Deceit swallowed his food and hoped he didn’t panic as much outwardly as he was in his mind. 

_ Virgil. Like. Nice. Virgil. Love.  _

“Because you helped out Henrietta that time,” Deceit answered quickly over the words the other sides couldn’t hear. “They’ve thought you were nice overall since.”

“It’s not like I gave them a rat though,” Virgil shrugged. “But cool I guess.”

With that the conversation was dropped and dinner continued with Patton talking about something or other, Deceit couldn’t help but notice Logan’s gaze on him throughout the meal. In that classic Logic way which showed that he had everything figured out. 

_ Logan help. Logan. Virgil. Help.  _

Deceit lowered his gaze into his food, “I hate all of you.”


	3. Part Three

**Part Three**

“I am not having this conversation.”

Logan raised an eyebrow, “I didn’t know a conversation was to occur. I was simply coming to aid you in the dishes as I know Roman isn’t the cleanest cook.”

They cleaned in silence for a few moments- but the snakes hadn’t gotten that message. 

_ Logan. Glassessss. Like. Logan. Help? Dishesss. Help. Virgil. Want. Want.  _

“Please shut up,” Deceit muttered. 

“Are they loud in your ear?” Logan questioned. 

“All the time. But sometimes it’s a helpful background sound. Like white noise. Other times like now it’s just a bunch of whispering voices which are annoying me.”

“Are they saying anything of interest?”

“Leon likes your glasses and wants some himself. Why he would need some, I don’t know.”

“Couldn’t you just manifest a small pair to please him?”

_ Yes. Glasses.  _

Deceit shook his head, “Please don’t encourage this. That just means all of them will want little costumes.”

“You’re making them costumes?” Came Virgil’s voice as he entered the room. “I found a bowl in my room, where do you want it? In the sink?”

“I’ll take it,” Deceit answered, taking it from him. “Logan’s drying. And no I’m not.”

Virgil shrugged as he looked up at the snakes, “It could be kind of cute.”

_ Glasses. Virgil like too. Glasses. Hair. Shirt. Sweater. Cute. Want cute! _

Deceit gave a sigh, “Thanks for feeding the fire.”

~~~~

Deceit stared into the mirror with a frown as he watched as a few of the snakes once more slithered out of his hat. 

“Can’t you guys just stay inside for a little bit?” He asked tiredly. 

_ Hat boring. Boring. See. Want see.  _

“Guys we’ve discussed this. I need you to stay inside. When we go see Thomas I’m going to take off the hat and you guys pop out. It will freak him out for a moment.”

_ Want see. Glasses.  _

“Are you all really refusing to help with this because you want  _ costumes _ ?” 

_ Yess. Yesssss. Want. _

Deceit gave a sigh, “Then this isn’t worth it.”

~~~~

The constant sound of hissing was something Deceit would learn to tolerate. Most times he found himself able to block out their voices and, their chatter amongst themselves becoming white noise when his thoughts were focused elsewhere. But it seemed he was now no longer allowed that peace. 

Deceit stared at his ceiling with a glare before he glanced back to the clock he had an urge to break. Still last two am. 

_ Late. Mean. Sssssleep. Awake. Wake. No. Rude.  _

“Can all of you  _ shut the fuck up? _ ” He growled. 

_ Please. No. No. Why. Yes. No want. No. Mean. You.  _

“I can be meaner.”

_ Virgil want. Want. Sleep want. No sleep. Awake. Sssleep. He mean. You mean. You fault. _

There seemed to be an even sleep of those who craved the death of sleep and those who didn’t. And Dee couldn’t fit the life of him figure out why some of them wouldn’t. 

  
  


“You look terrible.”

Deceit sent Virgil a glare as he snatched a bagel off the table. “Try sleeping with fourteen voices arguing in your head.”

“What were they arguing about?”

“I don’t even know what started it, and  _ I don’t care. _ I’m going back to bed I just wanted something to snack on first.”

Logan opened his mouth most likely to comment on Deceit’s poor sleeping habits but Deceit hurriedly cut him off, “I don’t care about health Try Hard, I need sleep. 

“You might as well ask them why they’re fighting,” Virgil suggested. “If they can make peace you can sleep.”

“Ah what a wonderful idea Virgil,” Logan commented. “Sounds almost like what I had intended to say.”

“Shut up,” Deceit replied, sinking into a chair. “But fine. What is all of your problem?”

_ Want glasses. Want dress. Want sweater. No! Sweater. Sweater! Sssweater! Hoodie! Dress. My dress. Glassesssss.  _

Deceit gave a slight laugh as he let his forehead fall to the table. “They’re arguing cuz some of them want the same  _ outfit _ . Would you mind just killing me?”

“Give them all the same outfit?” Virgil suggested unhelpfully. 

“Oh are we playing dress up the snakes?” Roman asked entering the kitchen. “I vote that they all get crowns and be little kings and queens.”

“They’re not getting outfits,” Deceit replied sternly. 

Roman seemed to take that as a challenge as moments later cloth was in his hands.

“Really?” Virgil asked unimpressed. “You gave them all outfits like you?”

“What else is royalty supposed to wear?”

“Do realize how much this ruins my aesthetic?” Deceit replied looking in the mirror and hating the stupidity of everything happening on his head.

_ Crown. Like. Like. Crown. Tiara want.  _

Roman rolled his eyes, “Then what clothes do you want for them?”

“None?”

“You want them to be  _ naked _ .”

“What did you think they were before?”

“Oh! Virgil’s they’re favorite right?” 

Before Deceit could question what he was about to do the mini Roman costumes were gone, replaced by miniture Virgil hoodies. 

_ Like. Like. Yes. Better. No glasses. This. Yes. Yes.  _

Deceit hated how adorable they were. 

He looked over to Virgil who was watching the snakes from an arm’s length as a few hissed friendly words at him he couldn’t understand. 

“They’re cute,” he decided finally. “But I don’t think that’s what Deceit was thinking.”

Deceit blinked and looked back into the mirror- ignoring the way Logan’s knowing eyes met his- before he spoke to Roman. “What about mini hats?”

  
  


“Might I ask you something, Deceit?” Logan asked as Deceit stared in the mirror at the snakes and their mini hats (which magically stayed on their heads).

“What?”

“Well that depends on if you’re finally willing to have a conversation.”

  
Deceit gave a cringe as he took in the lack of the rest of the sides in the vicinity, “... _ Fine _ .”


	4. Part Four

**Part Four**

“Well?” Deceit asked, once they were both in his room. 

“You seem to have been struggling since the snakes’ appearance. Having them voice the thoughts you weren’t willing to say.”

“Skip to the point please,” Deceit sighed. 

_ Logan helpsssss. Help! Please. Please important. Be polite.  _

“You're having a harder time hiding your love for Virgil,” Logan deadpanned. “Before your feelings were easy to deny. Now you literally can’t ignore them.”

Deceit felt a blush grab hold of his cheeks, but he didn’t respond. 

“What I wanted to speak to you about specifically, was that I feel it would benefit both you and the snakes to be honest with yourself. I don’t know if anything good ever comes from repression.”

“You don’t understand,” Deceit sighed sitting on his bed. “I mean... After everything I did to him, he-he is finally accepting me as a person in his life again. I... I don’t want to jeopardize that.”

“But are you happy right now?” Logan asked after a short pause. 

“Of course I a-”

_ No. No. Worried. No. Scared. No lose. Lossssse. No lose. Keep Virgil. No lose.  _

Deceit fell silent as he let his gaze drift to his hands in his lap, “He was asking me, not you all.”

_ Yes. Same. Same. Who caressssss? Yes.  _

Logan meanwhile seemed satisfied. “I will not force you to do anything. But I suggest you speak to Virgil.”

Deceit didn’t respond. 

~~~~

If there was one thing about the snakes Deceit would never get used to, was how quickly they became a normal part of his life. 

Day one he was screaming his head off, and now here he was letting them nibble on meat from his sandwich while he helped Logan (and a reluctant Roman) organize Thomas’ schedule. Well he supposed this was strange in itself. It wasn’t too long ago they had all been strictly split. 

“That’s not enough time to sleep,” Deceit frowned. 

Logan shook his head in disagreement, “This is the optimal amount of time as evidenced by-” he must’ve seen their disinterested faces, because he cleared his throat and moved on. “Also, oversleeping won’t do any good.”

“But it  _ feels _ good.”

“He has a point,” Roman nodded in agreement. 

_ Sleep nice. Very nice. Napsssss fun. Nap good. You ssssshut up. Want nap. Stop wake. Sleep later. Fun now. No fun. No like. Like sleep.  _

“All of you shut up and problem solved,” Deceit mumbled back at them. “Let Marco sleep and the rest of you stop being loud.”

_ Marco only ssssssleep. Marco mean. Mean. No fair. Rude.  _

“I really don’t care.”

“Sometimes I forget you’re talking to them,” Roman commented. 

Deceit gave a shrug, “I don’t care about you either, but it was directed at them.”

“Why you-”

“The conversation was about sleep!” Logan interjected. “How about we keep the sleep time the same, but I add in a fanfiction break?”

“Deal!”

Deceit only rolled his eyes. 

~~~~

“How is mister Jack-O-Latern today?”

“What?”

“And Deodorant? And Snickers? And Crew Socks? And Buttwipe? And-”

Deceit covered Remus’ mouth and promptly regretted it the moment his hand was licked in response. “What the fuck!”

_ Ew. Bad Remus. No Remus. No lick. Ratsss. Rats good. Lick bad. _

“The snakes!” Remus replied cheerily. “How are they?”

Deceit gave the side a glare as he moved to the sink and stuck his hand under the hot water. “They have names Remus, and Crew Socks isn’t one of them.”

“Not even Ass Pillow?”

“They already have names!”

~~~~

“Please?”

“No.”

“Pretty please?”

“No.”

“Pretty please with a Prince on top?”

“You can’t braid the snakes!”

Roman gave a frown, “Why not?”

Deceit looked at the other side as if he was stupid- and well...“Because I don’t want you to hurt them.”

_ Roman mean. No like. No braid. No. Mean. Bad. No like. No like.  _

“You all hush, he’s not going to even touch you.”

“Why can’t I have any fun with this?” Roman groaned. 

“It’s not your head,” Virgil tossed in coming to lean on the couch behind Roman. 

“Can I braid your hair then?”

“Hell no.”

“Why?”

“Because I said no. Just go braid Remus’ mustache if you really want to braid something.”

“It’s not long enough.”

“That’s not the issue with that,” Deceit sighed. 

“Braid Logan’s hair,” Virgil tried. 

Roman paused considering, “That would be adorable...”

“It would,” Virgil agreed. “Go for it.”

Roman was gone in a moment and when he was Virgil flopped into the empty seat on the couch with a content sigh. “I get my spot back... can you make the snakes into hairstyles by the way? I mean I get braiding is a mess but something else?”

Deceit gave a shrug, “Play dead everyone.”

There was a pause before he felt the wriggling cease and snakes hang down, to mimic straight hair. 

Virgil gave a slight smile and Deceit tried not to focus on it. “Awesome. Any others? Oh! Try a Mohawk?”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Deceit gave a shrug as he attempted to convince the snakes to form some sort of mohawk, but each seemed to be generally excited to stay still enough for it to happen. 

“So no,” Deceit said finally. “No mohawk.”

He watched as Virgil gave an amused smirk to the snakes who seemed to eat up the attention, “Got it. Oh what about like all of them sticking up and straight out?”

“Something tells me you’ve put thought into this.”

“Me? Not too much. Patton did though.”

“Patton?” Deceit echoed in surprise.

Virgil nodded and Deceit couldn’t help but krone how he sat up a bit more in his seat and a slight smile touched his face- at the mere mention of the other side. “He was asking me my thoughts when we were hanging out last night,” Virgil was saying. “I told him to ask you himself, but I’m here now so I guess I’ll report back to him.”

Deceit gave a small smile ignoring how much the words seemed to bother him. “Well let’s give it a shot? Guys?”

_ “But are you happy right now?” _

Deceit almost wanted to laugh as Logan’s questions echoed in his mind. And this time when answering the truth came before the lie. 

_ No. Not really.  _


	5. Part Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one

**Part Five**

Deceit had thought he had grown used to all the madness his snakes brought. 

And then one day he got up after falling asleep on the living room floor, and he had just left the room when Roman’s screeching began. 

_ “Deceit! Get you scaly ass back here!”  _

He gave a groan and ignored the snakes’ soft buzzing as he walked back in to see Roman and Virgil peering at something on the floor from one of the couches, while Remus and Logan were hunched over something on the floor. 

“What?” Deceit yawned. 

Logan turned and as he did and as he did Deceit could see something hanging from the pen in his hands. “It seems your snakes have begun to shed their skin.”

“What?”

“Can I have it?” Remus asked him. 

Logan only gave a shrug and Remus snatched it up and had Deceit’s mind been properly functioning he would have joined Roman in yelling at him but instead he was just staring at the shed skin in disbelief. 

_ Off. Feel better. No like. Much better. Want off. Off. Off. Want off. No like.  _

Deceit rubbed at one of his eyes as he tried to process, “Right... snakes do that.”

“They do,” Logan agreed, moving back to his seat on the couch.

“Remus, it's gross! Throw it away!” Roman shouted, throwing a pillow at his brother.

“You guys are gonna wake up Patton,” Virgil yawned curling back into the couch. “And me so shut up.”

“You could sleep in your room,” Logan told him. 

“I’m comfortable  _ now _ .”

Deceit shook his head and headed for the door, he needed a night’s sleep before he could deal with this. 

~~~~

“Shedding is good for them right?” Patton asked him.

Deceit nodded into his breakfast, “Yeah.”

“Then everyone will have to deal with it. Keep the noodles happy.”

“I have no problem with them as long as they don’t do it around me,” Roman told him. 

“I don't think they really control it that much Roman.”

“I’m more confused why they shed at all,” Deceit frowned. 

“They are snakes, Deceit,” Logan replied. “It makes sense that they do.”

“It doesn’t. I mean first of all they are growing  _ out of my head _ . So nothing that makes sense really applies. Secondly  _ I  _ have scales if you haven't noticed, and I don’t shed!”

“Maybe you should,” Remus smiled- and God he was wearing some of the snake skin around his neck. “Now come here so I can get some more skin from them.”

“If you do that I  _ will  _ kill you,” Deceit told him seriously.

_ No. No hurt. Remus good. Remus like.  _

“All of you don’t get an opinion. I swear when Remus made you all he also programmed you to like him.”

“They have no reason to  _ dis _ like me DeeDee.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not? Virgil calls you it. And sometimes Logan.”

“They call me  _ Dee _ .”

“How about Ding-a-ling?”

“Why am I even attempting to have a conversation with you?”

_ Remus nice. Like. _

“Shut up.”

~~~~

The shedding saga continued over the coming days and as almost some sort of cruel prank in response to it Deceit found his face to be itchy as hell and he couldn’t figure out why. Had he been a real person rather than a part of Thomas he would chalk it up to a very strange allergy, but given he wasn't, he had nothing. 

“I’m so itchy I’m going to take a sander to my face.”

“A  _ Thomas _ Sander?”

“Patton please.”

“Sorry.”

“Mostly likely you are feeling what the snakes are,” Logan explained. 

“It’s not fair, they’re basically done shedding. Only Riley and Jace haven’t shed. So why am I itchy?”

_ Itch. Unfair. Not fair. Want shed. Itch.  _

“Your itchy skin will end soon.”

“You may not have said it, but I heard that probably in there.”

“It was implied,” Logan agreed. 

~~~~

Part of Dee was relieved when the itchiness had finally ceased. The rest of him however wanted to erase the memory. He had been sitting on a couch beside Virgil, rubbing at his scales- scratching at them. 

“Does scratching actually help?” Virgil asked. 

Dee rolled his eyes and moved his hand away- and his skin went with it. He nearly screamed at the sight- but it was blocked in his throat as he looked up to Virgil. 

The look on Virgil’s face would be etched in his memory. His face was a look of shock and disgust. Dee just wanted to collapse right then and there, but all he could do was hold the skin in his hands and stare. 

He was shocked back to the present by a cold hand touching his scales. “You feel smooth,” Remus commented as Dee jerked away. 

_ Touch. Pet. Pet. Nice. Like pets.  _

“Don’t touch me,” Dee told him. 

Remus didn’t seem to care and instead pointed to the skin in his hand, “Can I have that?”

Dee paused debating the pros and cons of just punching him here and now, but finally he relented and gave a nod. 

_ No itch. Itch done. Smooth. Smooth. Nice.  _

“So you shed now,” Virgil coughed awkwardly. 

Dee gave a half hearted shrug, “Apparently.”

Virgil only nodded once in reply and given Dee had zero clue what to say he could only watch as Remus left the room leaving them both in awkward silence. 


	6. Part Six

**Part Six**

“You don’t look so good Dee,” Patton frowned. “Are you sleeping enough?”

Dee’s gaze didn’t shift from his mug of coffee. “No.”

“I knew it. Go lie down mister, I’ll make you some tea to help.”

“It’s fine,” Dee yawned. “Another night of this and I’ll surely- hopefully pass out from exhaustion.”

“I’m not particularly sure that’s a good thing,” Logan said slowly. “I believe you should take the tea offer. Chamomile should help greatly.”

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“But-”

Dee stood from the table before they could respond, “I’m going to shower.”

Truthfully there was nothing more in this moment that Dee wanted more than sleep. But, sleep was accompanied by nightmares. 

_ Good. Not bad. Won’t hurt. No stone. Can’t hurt. Won’t. Hurt. No. Make stop.  _

And then when he had woken in a cold sweat with the snakes’ scared buzzing he couldn’t fall back to sleep. They had started not long after the skin incident, and now they began happening more and more frequently. He was going to lose his mind at this rate. 

Dee stepped out of the shower with a sigh. Even the bathroom floor was looking comfortable enough to sleep on. God he needed sleep. 

~~~~

_ No. No. No want. No hurt. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.  _

Dee woke breathing heavily and tears burning at the corners of his eyes. He could hear the snakes’ worried tones and feel as they slithered about anxiously, but his eyes went to the clock on his nightstand. 

5:26 am. 

_ No want. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. No.  _

Dee took a few deep breaths before he climbed out of his bed. If he couldn’t sleep anyway, might as well go do something. 

  
  


“Your dark circles are starting to look like my make up.”

Dee blinked coming back to the present he had zoned out from to see Virgil’s face in front of his. In response Dee reeled back and shut his eyes tight. “W-well I’m sorry I can’t sleep!”

He heard as Virgil gave a questioning hum in response but he was more relieved when he heard Virgil’s footsteps retreated into another room. When they had he cracked open his eyes slowly and looked to the clock on a wall with a frown. Had he only been sitting here for an hour? He gave a sigh at the thought he refocused on Virgil as he returned to the living room two glasses of water in hand. “Why are you awake anyway?”

“I’m Anxiety,” Virgil replied. “I don’t always sleep, here drink something.” He offered a glass to Dee as he sat beside him on the couch and rather than argue took and drank it hurriedly. Relishing in how it made him feel a tad bit calmer. 

_ Water good. Virgil help. Virgil good. No hurt. No look. No look. No no no.  _

“I won’t,” Dee told them tiredly. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Virgil asked after a short pause. “You don’t have to of course.”

“No... but...”

“But?”

“Can you talk about anything? Something else I can focus on?”

Dee glanced over to Virgil’s face as the other side set down his water. “Alright. Do you have any preferences?”

“No.”

“Hm, well last night Patton and I were hanging with Roman. But the idiot prince fell asleep on us, so I decided to prank him. Patton tried to talk me out if it but I was enjoying myself too much.”

As he listened, part of Dee felt a pang of annoyance that the story had to be about Patton, but the rest of him seemed to be lulled by the sound of Virgil’s voice. 

“So as for what the prank was, there’s stages to it. First, I put him in the bathtub. Which sounds boring on its own, but I’m good at what I do. So, I tied a string to his wrist. So when he wakes and stretches and pulls it, on goes the shower!”

“Just put a bucket over his bed,” Dee yawned as his eyes threatened to close. 

“That was my initial idea, but Patton vetoed it,” Virgil sighed. “But you stopped me before I could explain stage two.”

“Go on.”

“As for the second stage, I covered the bathroom floor in glitter. So he finally gets out the tub and is covered head to toe.”

“Fun.”

“It’s gonna be wonderful. Only issue is I’m not sure what happens if someone uses the bathroom before Roman wakes up.”

“You’re screwed,” Dee replied, eyes closing as he maneuvered to make himself more comfortable. 

“I guess,” Virgil replied and moments later Dee felt himself being moved. He allowed it, too tired to argue. “...You all are so scaly and smooth aren't you?”

_ Yes. Nice. Like pets. Not nightmares. Virgil safe. Vee safe. No hurt. Vee. Vee safe. Vee good. Nice. Good.  _

Dee focused on the feeling of the snakes curling round Virgil’s fingers, and he had no choice but to agree. “Vee good.”

~~~~

It was the sound of a bang followed by angered shouts which pulled Dee from sleep. He jolted awake and sat up from his pillow to see Virgil (suspiciously where the pillow had been- wasn’t there a pillow? There was a pillow, wasn't there? Right? Please let him be right about that?) sitting beside him trying and failing to hold in laughter. But his eyes were on Dee- so Dee looked away. 

More shouts followed before footsteps stormed down the hall and moments later a wet and glittered Roman appeared looking pissed. The moment he did Virgil was doubled over laughing, “Holy shit! It’s better than I had hoped!”

“I’m going to destroy you!” Roman shouted, drawing his katana- but Virgil was still laughing his ass off. 

“Sure whatever!” Virgil said between gasps of air. “Just let me get a picture first!” 

“Roman,” Logan’s voice called as he appeared in the doorway. “You’re tracking the mess down the hall. I don’t appreciate it.”

“Virgil did this!” Roman yelled at him, but Logan only grabbed the sword hilt to put it away. 

“You can have it back when everything is cleaned.”

“It’s not my fault Teach! It’s Virgil and Dee’s!”

“I didn’t do anything,” Dee said in confusion. 

“Fine,” Logan stated adjusting his glasses. “Virgil I am confiscating your spider pillow pet until things are cleaned.”

“Unfair,” Virgil argued, but Logan gave him a quick glare silencing him. 

“I’m also keeping this sword. You can have it back once you’re less emotional. And after I’ve had some coffee.”

Virgil gave a groan as he stood but he didn’t argue further, Logan without coffee wasn’t a good thing to anger. 

_ Want sleep. Sleep. Virgil. Vee pillow.  _

Dee could only swallow his embarrassment as he rose from the couch. “I'm gonna go back to my room.”

  
  


Dee slept till afternoon without a single nightmare or dream. It was quite frankly,  _ perfect _ . He was actually considering going back to bed after getting something to eat. With those thoughts in mind he left his room to find Virgil coming down the hall.

“You’re finally up?”

Dee nodded once as he looked away from Virgil’s face, “Yeah. Um, thanks for before.”

“Course. Feeling better now?”

“Much. How was cleaning?”

Virgil gave a grimace, “Let’s not. But if you ever wanna talk about whatever... I’m here Dee.”

“T-thanks.”

“And um, sorry about using you as a pillow.”

Dee must’ve been dreaming at the sight of the slight blush on Virgil’s face. “It’s fine.”

_ Blush good! Very good! Like Vee. Love Vee. Good Virgil.  _ Kiss _ Virgil.  _

Dee thought he died a little in that moment. God where was a distraction when he needed-  _ Logan!  _ Dee wasn’t sure he had been happier to see the other side. Logan seemed to quickly take stock of the awkward tension before he spoke. 

“Are you finally going to tell us what’s been bothering you?” Logan asked, coming to stand beside Virgil. “Or is your crush the reason you haven’t been sleeping?”

Dee thought he died even more in that moment. “That’s not related at all,” he said quickly. 

“Crush?” Virgil echoed softly. 

He was dying a lot now. 

“Who on?”

A whole lot more. A ton more. 

Logan’s eyes almost had a mischievous glint as he went to censor Logan. But even as Logan’s hands went to cover his own mouth, the word still slipped out.  _ “You.” _

Virgil’s eyes were wide and his blush deep- and yup. It was official. Dee was dead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next is the last!


	7. Part Seven

**Part Seven**

Dee wasn’t sure he had ever moved faster, but just like that he was in his room slamming the door and standing behind it. His initial instinct upon hearing Logan’s words was to throttle the other side- but then he had seen Virgil’s embarrassed- Virgil’s blushing face and he had run- he had  _ sprinted _ . 

His face felt hot, and his heart drumming in his ears was drowning out whatever the hell the snakes were saying. God why the hell had Logan even fucking  _ dared _ . That wasn't his place! When he got the courage to leave his room he was going to-

“Dee?”

Virgil’s voice may have well been ice in Dee’s veins the way he froze. But he also didn't respond, so a knock sounded at the door. “Dee?” he asked again. “Um, I... um... I yelled at Logan for you. Um, and about um...” He heard as Virgil gave a cough. “If you want to talk then yeah. If not I’ll just go.”

_ Bad Logan. Nice Vee. Vee not mad! Logan mean. Talk Vee. No talk Vee. Hide. Hide good. Talk good. Talk bad.  _

  
  


He wasn’t sure when he had fallen asleep- he wasn’t even sure he remembered dragging himself on his bed, but he did remember waking up. He was sitting up gasping for air, tears burning in his eyes. He swallowed trying to calm himself down but unable to he forced himself to get up and walk to the kitchen. He ignored the gazes of everyone who watched him pass in favor for filling a cup with water and downing it. 

“Everything alright Deceit?” Patton asked slowly. 

“Fine,” he breathed out refilling his cup.

“Talking may help, kiddo.”

“I don't-”

_ Talk. Talk good. Maybe help. No nightmares. Help. Talk. _

He gave a sigh and after a pause he turned- taking in the fact that Patton, Logan and Remus (aka not Virgil) were sitting at the table before he joined them. 

“Deceit,” Logan coughed awkwardly. “Firstly I’d like to apologize for earlier. It’s come to my attention that I shouldn't have overstepped my bounds.”

Dee shook his head, “I  _ really _ don't want to talk about that right now.”

“What’s up with the snakes?” Remus asked leaning back in his chair. “Are the little devils refusing to be trained in dance?”

Dee didn’t even want to ask. So instead, he told the truth. “I... I haven’t been sleeping. I’ve been having nightmares about my snakes. I thought I had finally gotten used to them and then the shedding happened, and other things which just make it seem stranger and stranger but also forcing me to realize that I’m who I am now... a  _ gorgon _ . But um... I can't help but wonder and worry about how far that goes...”

“What do you mean?” Logan pressed. 

Dee gave a swallow before he let his eyes fall to the table, “I... I keep have nightmares about accidentally turning you all to stone.”

“That would be pretty sick, not gonna lie.” Dee’s head snapped up to see as Virgil walked in the kitchen. “Sorry, I’m not helping am I?”

“Oh! Maybe Remus can set rules for them,” Patton suggested. “He made the connection for Thomas after all.”

“I don't think so,” Logan mused. “The connection was initially made with him and medusa after all... the connection would need to be made with a different gorgon I assume. But that may threaten the snakes themselves.”

_ No like rules. Rules bad. Want stay. But stone bad! No stone! No want! _

The conversation was continuing around him but his focus was primarily on Virgil. Because Virgil seemed to have been functioning as if yesterday had never happened. And Janus wasn’t entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing. 

“Don’t worry Dee!” Patton said loudly while clapping him on the shoulder. “Remus will take care of it.”

Dee paused to look at Remus’ smile before he pushed the hand away and stood, “I don’t know how trusting Remus with anything is supposed to make me feel better. I’m going back to my room.”

~~~~

He slept in short bursts. Falling asleep for five minutes awake for ten, and then asleep for ten and awake for five. It wasn’t anything more than exhausting, but it was how Dee was apparently going to spend the day. He had resigned himself to that. And it seemed the snakes agreed. Their usual buzzing conversations were at a minimum or nonexistent all together. Rather they seemed to be just as exhausted and out of it as he was. 

Dee held in a sigh. He wished he could bring them some peace at least. His nightmares were about them turning people to stone after all, there was no way they were in a good place. But he wasn’t sure what to say. Unsure what else to do he reached a hand up to his head and felt as the snakes moved to rub against his hand. 

_ Hand warm. Pets! Want pets. Hand warm. Hand keep.  _

Dee gave a slight chuckle despite himself, “You can’t keep my hand. If you’re cold just say so.”

_ Cold. Not cold. Yes cold! _

Dee rolled his eyes as he slowly sat up, “Do you guys want me to lay on a blanket or do you want to be in a hat?”

Their answer however wasn’t heard as a soft knock sounded on his door. But when he didn’t respond it came again, this time with Virgil’s voice. “Dee? Can I come in?”

Dee gave a sigh, as if he could say no, but to avoid looking Virgil in the eye he moved to the closet to find an extra blanket. “Sure.” 

He heard the door open slowly followed by the sound of unsure footsteps and the door closing. 

_ There! Blanket. Cozy! Warm. Want cozy! _

“There’s only one blanket in here I can figure it out without the peanut gallery.”

“Sorry for interrupting,” Virgil said from behind him. 

Dee took a deep breath as he grabbed the blanket and turned around. Virgil was standing in his doorway looking around as if he had never been in the room before. But more interestingly he had something behind his back. 

“What did you need?” He asked awkwardly as he wrapped the blanket around his head. 

“Um... I-I had an idea to help with your nightmares,” Virgil started his gaze now firmly fixed on the floor. “But it’s a bit childish.”

“What do you mean?”

Virgil gave an awkward swallow before he pulled something from behind his back and held it out. But quite frankly Dee had no clue what it was. It seemed to be a large hamster pillow with a long nose like an elephant. 

“It’s a baku,” Virgil explained. “Its um a Japanese mythological creature that’s supposed to eat bad dreams. I um, I’ve had it for a long time and maybe it sounds childish and cheesy but um... if there’s a small chance it could help? And if it doesn’t if it helps we are part of Thomas so I don’t  _ think _ you can turn us to stone. But I guess there’s still a chance- but I’m not scared um... just- just take the baku if you want. Not that you have to of course.”

Dee paused before he took the pillow, “Thank...thank you.”

Virgil gave a sharp nod as he turned away. “When you’re feeling better I, I wanted to talk to you about something else so um. Good night.”

“Night.”

As Virgil left Dee laid down and held the pillow in hands as he examined it. As he did so he couldn’t exactly stop the slight blush on his cheeks.

~~~~

“Dee! You’re not dead!”

“Obviously I’m not dead.”

“It’s been almost two days!” Patton protested squeezing him tighter. 

“I was sleeping,” Dee told him, pushing him away. “And now I’m hungry.”

“You slept well then?” Virgil asked. 

“Yeah... thanks.”

_ Thank Vee! Yay vee! No bad sleep! _

“No problem.”

Dee made himself a plate and sat down at the table, “So um... you wanted to talk about something?”

Virgil gave a nod, “Yeah. Um... firstly, Patton can you uh?”

Patton cocked his head slightly in confusion before he seemed to understand and nodded quickly, “Oh uh I’ll be right back! I just remembered I have to... to uh... uh... make the bed!” 

When he had left Virgil gave a soft sigh, “So um, about the other day. And what Logan said...”

_ Oh no. Oh no. Oh no! _

Dee felt his face heat up and he was standing before he knew he was, “We can just pretend that never happened! Let’s just go back to normal, okay?”

Virgil’s head fell so his face couldn’t be seen. “But I... I don’t want to.”

“W-what?”

Virgil’s head lifted up slightly and Dee’s heart skipped a beat at the blush on the other side’s face. “I... Shit you’re really gonna make me say it? I... I like you Dee...”

For one of the first times in his existence, Dee was speechless. Truly speechless. Even the snakes were silent. 

Virgil was giving him a slight glare, “Say something!”

“When’s the wedding?” Roman called from the next room. 

“Fuck off!” Dee and Virgil yelled back as one. 

As Roman cackled Dee sunk back into his seat and looked across from him at Virgil. “I like you too.”

Virgil gave a slight laugh, “Yeah I already figured that out.”

“Right...”

A weight fell from his shoulders, and Dee couldn’t help but give a sigh of relief. 

_ Yes. Yes. Vee! Vee like! Vee like! _

Yeah... Virgil liked him. It didn’t really make sense that Virgil did, but Dee wouldn’t exactly complain. “I don’t really know what happens now,” he admitted. 

Virgil gave a shrug, “Me neither.”

Before Dee could respond, Roman walked in the room his eyes sparkling, “If you guys are looking for date ideas then I have a whole list that we can test before we send Thomas on one.”

“We just-”

“It’s in my room I’ll be right back!”

_ Ooo. Date! Need fancy clothes. Dates fun? Yes, fun! Spend time with Vee!  _

Dee rolled his eyes, “Want to move into the living room? I feel like this is gonna take awhile.”

“Or, we could always just go elsewhere before he comes back.”

“Anywhere in mind?”

“I found it!” Roman’s voice called. 

“Does it matter?” Virgil asked heading into the hall. 

Dee didn’t answer, rather he grabbed Virgil’s hand and reveled in Virgil’s blush as he let himself be pulled down the hall to who knows where. Because it didn’t matter where they were going, because if Virgil was going to he knew he'd be happy. 

_ ~~The End~~ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking around on this fic of crack


End file.
